The uniqueness of the book of Isaiah, considered the greatest prophet in the Bible, will be the subject of study of the thematic guide produced by Adventists in the first quarter of 2021. The title of the Sabbath School lesson is Isaiah - Comfort for God's people and its main author the theologian Roy Gane. Born in Australia, he is a professor of Hebrew Bible and Ancient Middle Eastern Languages at the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary at Andrews University (Berrien Springs, Michigan). His specialty is a biblical law, including laws on the functioning of the Israelite ritual system in the sanctuary. (He also was one of the translators for the Common English Bible version released in 2011.)

Gane has authored several books, including an additional book for this lesson: The Book of Isaiah: Thoughts as High as Heaven (Nampa, ID: Pacific Press, 2020), translated into Spanish as El libro de Isaías (Buenos Aires: Asociación Casa Editora Sudamericana, 2020), and in Portuguese as The Book of Isaiah: Judgment and redemption for the people of God (Tatuí, São Paulo: Casa Publadora Brasileira, 2020). The Adventist South American News Agency (ASN) discussed a little more about what can be expected from reading this guide, with Dr. Roy Gane.

What is the context and historical background of the book of Isaiah?

Isaiah ministered in the southern kingdom of Judah during a time of disconcerting change and mortal danger to God's chosen people. Isaiah's prophetic career lasted from the last part of the reign of King Uzziah, who died around 740 BC, throughout the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, until probably the beginning of the reign of Manasseh in 680 BC Information on the contextual historical data for this period can be found in 2 Kings 15-21 and 2 Chronicles 26-33.

The people of Judah became complacent during Uzziah's long, peaceful, and prosperous reign. So, they forgot their need for the Lord and their responsibility to Him. But the Jews were rudely awakened by international events.

We are talking about the period of the predominance of Assyria in the region, right?

Yes. The Assyrian king Tiglate-Pileser III began to reign in 745 BC and to expand his empire. When he threatened the kingdoms of Syria and northern Israel, they united against Judah and tried to force Ahaz to join the covenant. God, through Isaiah, strongly urged him to have faith that the Lord would protect him from the Syrian-Israelite coalition (Isaiah 7).

Rather than trusting God, Ahaz turned to human power for help: he bribed Tiglath-Pileser to help Judah against his enemies, which the Assyrian king did by invading Syria and northern Israel. This put Judah under the dangerous Assyrian influence.

Ahaz was wicked and idolatrous, but his son, Hezekiah, was faithful to God and instituted comprehensive religious reform. When Hezekiah was freed from Assyria, the Assyrian king Sennacherib invaded Judah and besieged Jerusalem. Only a miracle could save Judah so that the Jewish people could continue their existence as a distinct group from which the Messiah would come. Hezekiah pleaded with God to deliver Judah, which God, through Isaiah, promised to do. The angel of the Lord killed 185,000 Assyrian soldiers so that Sennacherib had to return to Assyria (Isaiah 37). Thus, God miraculously saved Jerusalem and Judah.

However, when messengers from Babylon came to Hezekiah after God healed him of a deadly disease, Hezekiah proudly showed them his treasure, instead of glorifying God. Consequently, God, through Isaiah, predicted future captivity in Babylon (Isaiah 39). Much of the rest of the book of Isaiah (according to chapters 40-66) prophesies a future return and restoration of exile in Babylon. These messages would give hope to God's people, encouraging them to trust Him, even as they endured the consequences of their own mistakes.

What is the purpose of this quarterly study of the book of Isaiah? 

The purpose of this quarterly lesson is to provide an introduction to Isaiah that will facilitate and inspire a more fruitful study of this incredible book. Isaiah is a large and complex composition that was written in sophisticated literary styles for people whose culture and historical setting differed from ours.

However, by understanding the historical context of the book and the ways in which it communicated with its original audience, modern Christians can understand its exalted message from the heart of God that speaks to people in all times and places. Isaiah is so rich in divine thoughts that the practical spiritual benefits of studying this book are endless.

With him, we learned the dangers of forgetting our covenant with God and using religious activities as a hypocritical cover for moral depravity that involves mistreating others. But we also hear God's merciful call to repentance and the offer of forgiveness. Above all, Isaiah calls us to an unshakable trust in God, "the Holy One of Israel", who can lead us in any crisis and lead us to a new and better era of well-being, security, and harmony with Him.

We know that the book has prophecies that are considered classic, that is, conditioned at a certain time. But there are also prophecies that point to Jesus and to our day, correct?

Yes. Isaiah is considered a classic prophecy because his divine message was addressed to people at a certain time and place. The book calls them to choose repentance and faithfulness to God to enjoy His conditional blessings, rather than suffer the consequences of rejecting Him.

To encourage them to make the right choice, Isaiah promises future glory and prosperity for those who are loyal in following God. This includes blessings like the elevation of Jerusalem and its temple to an international destination for nations seeking divine wisdom (Isaiah 2: 2-4); peace even among animals (11: 6-9; 65:25); long life (65:20); and “new heavens and new earth” (65:17).

The Israelite nation of God's chosen people could have received all these promised blessings. But, in any case, they will finally be fulfilled in the great spiritual "Israel", which consists of people from all nations, including us, who accept Christ's salvation and lordship. By the divine light of the New Jerusalem, "the nations will walk by his light, and the kings of the earth will bring his glory to him" (Revelation 21:24).

A better era in the future requires Someone to lead and deliver God's people from their difficulties and dangers. It became clear to the people of Judah, in Isaiah's day, that David's descendant kings were not able to solve their problems.

Hezekiah was faithful to God, but even he made a catastrophic mistake in showing Babylonian envoys all his treasures (Isaiah 39). God had promised that David's lineage would continue forever (2 Sam 7: 12-16; Ps 89: 3-4; 28- 37). But there was a need for a descendant of David who was wise, just, and powerful, and who would be an ideal ruler.

Through Isaiah, God progressively revealed the profile of this messianic (“anointed”) ruler, who would be born to a young woman and be called “Immanuel,” or “ God with us” (Isaiah 7:14). The attributes of this Son, who would permanently occupy “the throne of David,” would go far beyond those of an ordinary human king: “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Father of Eternity, Prince of Peace” (9: 6-7). This passage indicates that the Son would be divine. Coming from Jesse's lineage, he would be a new David, and the Spirit of the Lord would rest on Him to give Him wisdom and knowledge so that He could judge with full justice (11: 1-5). Later in the book, there are four notable poems about the Servant of God (42: 1-9; 49: 1-13; 50: 4-9; 52: 13-53: 12).

From the descriptions in these poems, this servant is the same divine ruler prophesied in the previous messianic passages. However, to free His people and bring justice, He would be vulnerable, suffer, and, in the end, die for them.

Isaiah 61 also speaks of the Messianic Servant of God, on whom the Spirit of God rests and who is anointed by the Lord "to bring good news to the poor ..." (verses 1-3). Many passages in the New Testament identify Jesus Christ as the Messiah prophesied by Isaiah (for example, Matthew 1:23; Luke 4: 16-21; Acts 8: 30-35).

If you wanted to convince someone about the importance of reading and studying the book of Isaiah, what would be three reasons to give that person?

First, Isaiah powerfully and beautifully reveals the trustworthy and loving character and great power of God, giving solid evidence that people must trust and cooperate with Him in all circumstances, even the most challenging.

Second, Isaiah shows that God knows the future, even naming Cyrus a century and a half before he freed the Jewish people from exile in Babylon (Is 44:28; 45: 1). Therefore, we can be sure that God's promises to His people that have not yet been fulfilled, such as a future time of peace and “new heavens and a new earth” (65:17), will certainly happen.

Third, Isaiah describes the profile of the coming Messiah (Chrīstós, in New Testament Greek) in detail so that we can clearly identify Jesus of Nazareth as this person. Someone who is a descendant of David, but also the Son of God, a suffering Servant of God, but also a powerful King to rule forever with justice and peace.

This article was originally published on the South American Division’s Portuguese news site